Black Mountain Rock Art District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Black Canyon--Inscription Canyon--Black Mountain Rock Art District
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Petroglyphs in the district
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| Nearest city | Hinkley, California |
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| Area | 39,700 acres (16,100 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 00001046 |
| Added to NRHP | September 12, 2000 |
The Black Mountain Rock Art District is a very special place. It is located in the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County, California. This amazing area holds a huge collection of ancient Native American rock art. It includes more than 12,000 petroglyphs, which are pictures carved into rocks.
What is Rock Art?
Rock art is a general term for human-made markings on natural rock surfaces. Petroglyphs are a type of rock art. They are created by removing part of a rock surface. This is done by carving, picking, or scratching. Ancient people made these designs long ago. They often used hard tools to chip away at softer rock.
Amazing Designs
The Black Mountain Rock Art District has many incredible designs. The largest group of petroglyphs is in Inscription Canyon. This spot alone has over 1,000 different carvings. The designs show many things. Some are complex, like human-like figures or masks. Others show shields, baskets, deer, and bighorn sheep. You can also see other plants and animals. Many petroglyphs are patterns. These include circles, lines, and zigzags.
Why Here?
Native Americans chose this area for their rock art for good reasons. The land had a lot of lava rock. This rock was easy to mark and carve. They also found hard quartz nearby. Quartz was perfect for making tools to etch the designs. This made it a great place to create lasting art.
Protecting History
The Black Mountain Rock Art District is very important. It helps us learn about ancient cultures. To protect this special place, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This happened on September 12, 2000. Being on this list helps keep the rock art safe for future generations.
